underhood light

I want to mount a light or two under my hood. Is there any reason why I can't have this light permanetly on when the jeep is running. It wouldn't be a problem to install a switch somewhere but I suppose just run it from the acc. side of the ignition switch.

I could run it off the headlight switch but I don't nesseccarily want the headlights on everytime I am under the hood in the dark.

Opinions?

 

Mine was from a Chevy Tahoe late 90s. Wired to my distribution block beside battery. Pull it out/wind it back in. Handy.

 

Most of the under hood lights from the 70-80's are a mercury switch light that only turns on when you raise the hood. You can find these at almost any junk yard anywhere. I have saved dozens of them over the years. They also have some cool lights that have a spool of wire you can unroll and use several feet from your hood, like for changing tires and what-not. The problem with having it on anytime the Jeep is running is that when you really need it the bulbs will be burn out from being on all the time. Go junking, it's fun and cheap.

 

This may be a bit off topic, but I swear by my petzl headlamp. Keep it in the center console where ever I go. Keeps both hands free whether I’m looking over the engine bay, under the tub, or possibly changing a tire in the dark, etc. Uses only 3 AAA batteries and shines like a SOB.
The only thing is, you don’t get that handyman feeling of the do it yourself mod of the hoodlight

 

I had a 91 full size Chevy pick-up that had a OEM light with a spool mounted on the underside of the hood. It had a long cord that would reach all the way to the back of the truck.

 

good point with the burnt out bulbs...don't know why I didn't think of that.

hmmm...today I went to the junkyard exclusivley for dome lights and under the hood lights and didn't find anything with a retractable wire. I'll have to look harder. Where the under the hood lights I have seen on scramblers and late cj's controlled by a mercury switch?

 

Alot of early to mid 90's sloburbans have them as well as GM pickups.

 

Not to hijack but I have a question on these underhood lights.

1. What year CJ's had them?
2. What is a mercury switch?

 

Mmmm... leather, tv/dvd/vcr/cd, 6 way power seats, dual zone heat/ac, removable 3rd row, have to constantly check the mirrors because you can't even feel the JEEP being towed... love them.

I got a retractable out of a '91-'96ish Ford pickup. I saw them in a lot of Explorers while I was junking, too. The pickup version that I got is kinda big, though; haven't figured out where I want to put it, yet.

 

Re: under hood light

Here's the GM retractable light ( right side of firewall ) The base is magnetic. Works great.


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Sorry, truck has been gone for a some time.

 

I think most of the GM pickups, suburbans, tahoes, ect. from 88-98 had the underhood light that you could pull the light part off of its base and use, then has a little crank to wind the wire back in. Should be real easy to find one in a junkyard. I prefer to just use a AA maglite. I have one in all my vehicles.